(French)15 White 32800 442500 --
Rose 78800 981000 -- Red 128 800 160 667 -- Pear 188
1370 137 250 -- Cherry 276 1370 201 294 -- Wines (American)30
Low 50800 622500 -- High 325 800 406 385 -- Aspartame
Sweetened Beverages48 2 liters 5 liters Uncarbonated
Drinks48 558 6875 0 110 mg 275 mg Cola (Carbonated)48
568 7000 0 112 mg 280 mg Orange (Carbonated)48 918 11375
0 182 mg 455 mg Aspartame, pure25000 *17.6% of U.S.
Population consume an average of 185.5 gm of Orange
juice a day1 *1.1% of the U.S. Population consume an
average of 173.9 gm of Grapefruit Juice a day1
Data obtained in a Department of Agriculture survey
of the food intake of a statistically sampled group
of over 17,000 consumers nationwide, indicate that
the 17.6% of the population that consume orange juice
daily take in an average of 185.5 gm of that juice.
these statistics indicated that 1.1% of the population
consume an average of 173.9 gm of grapefruit juice
while only 1.8% drink approximately 201 gm of tomato
juice daily. Table 1 shows that under normal conditions
these individuals would only be expected to consume
between 1 and 7 mg of methanol a day from the sources.
Even if an individual consumed two juices in the same
day or a more exotic juice such as black currant,
there would still be some protection afforded by the
ethanol present in these natural juices. Consumption
of aspartame sweetened drinks at levels commonly used
to replace lost fluid during exercise yields methanol
intake between 15 and 100 times these normal intakes
(Table 1). This is comparable to that of "winos"
but without the metabolic reprieve afforded by ethanol.
An alcoholic consuming 1500 calories a day from alcoholic
sources alone my consume between 0 and 600 mg of methanol
each day depending on his choice of beverages (Table
1).
The consumption of aspartame sweetened soft drinks
or other beverages is not limited by either calories
or osmolarity, and can equal the daily water loss
of an individual (which for active people in a state
like Arizona can exceed 5 liters). The resultant daily
methanol intake might then rise to unprecedented levels.
Methanol is a cumulative toxin8 and for some clinical
manifestations it may be a human-specific toxin.
CONCLUSION
Simply because methanol is found "naturally"
in foods, we can not dismiss the need for carefully
documented safety testing in appropriate animal models
before allowing a dramatic increase in its consumption.
We know nothing of the mutagenic, teratogenic or
carcinogenic effect of methyl alcohol on man or mammal5.
Yet, if predictions are correct5 it won't be long
before an additional 2,000,000 pounds of it will be
added to the food supply yearly.
Must this, then, constitute our test of its safety?
